42 years serving bakeries

It all started in the barn next to his house in Gommegnies, where Pierre Lancelot, an aeronautical engineer, designed from the ground up a totally new electric ventilated oven for the baking industry. He applied his knowledge and skills in aeraulics - the science and technique of treating and distributing air – to the field of baking. In 1980 Eurofours was born.

Today his sons Stéphane and Nicolas Lancelot run the company and Eurofours is the benchmark for ventilated ovens for bakeries and pastry shops. New facilities were established in Gommegnies and La Longueville, and busy production lines are driving the company’s expansion. After a series of acquisitions, the company has become well-established in the baking sector with around 150 employees over three production sites.

A niche market

Eurofours produces equipment for bakeries, pastry shops as well as modular units used to heat pre-cooked baked goods and snacks. 90% of the sheet metal they use is thin (1.2/1.5 mm). The product range includes ventilated rack and deck ovens, low temperature controlled fermentation cabinets, chambers, and display cases. Eurofours can count many well-known names such as Le Nôtre, Ladurée, Paul, Banette, Bridor and Baguépi among its customers.

The company develops comprehensive designs for bakeries, providing them with all the displays and display cases they need. The ability to produce these ready-to-use solutions is one of its strengths. This niche market enables Eurofours to build around 3,000 ovens per year, achieving 70% of their turnover in France and 30% in exports to no less than 100 countries, mainly Canada and Asian countries. 

“There is a lot of competition in our business,” says Mickael Rousseau, production & methods director, “but we are the only company that offers such a wide product mix, enabling us to propose and realise comprehensive solutions.”

Complete solution

In March 2020, LVD delivered and set up a Phoenix FL-3015 6 kW laser cutting machine with Compact Tower automation, as well as two press brakes: first a ToolCell 135/40 and later on an Easy-Form 9 80/25. In addition, the company has LVD’s CADMAN® software. The machines and software were installed right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, which allowed the company to master the new equipment at its own pace. 

Yoan Khinache, sheet metal & methods manager, explains: “With the CADMAN suite LVD provided a complete solution. The connectivity between the software, our ERP system, the laser and the press brakes has significantly improved our manufacturing capabilities.” The Phoenix met Eurofours’ requirements in terms of power and cutting capacity in different materials and thicknesses. 

The press brakes are equipped with LVD’s Easy-Form® Laser in-process adaptive bending system, which enables them to adapt to material variations such as sheet thickness, strain hardening and grain direction, thus guaranteeing the desired bend angle. As for the ToolCell, it was the automatic tool-loading and unloading system, resulting in a 30% time-saving, that convinced Eurofours.

Good results

“It was definitely time to replace our outdated machinery. We contacted three companies and decided on LVD. We wanted to have more flexibility, more just-in-time work while also reducing material waste, given the current price of stainless steel,” Rousseau underlines.

“We have a very good relationship with LVD,” adds Mr Khinache. “The demonstration they gave in their Experience Center with our parts was very impressive. It is also a plus that the LVD factory is only an hour and a half away from ours. As for bending, it was the time savings of the ToolCell automatic toolchanger and the Easy-Form Laser capabilities that convinced us.”
The results speak for themselves. Mr. Rousseau: “An important thing is that we have reduced the scrap rate by 20%, also thanks to the use of the Easy-Form. The CADMAN software allows us to better manage our stock by having a faster reactive production lead-time, which in turn ensures greater profit margins.

“We have also halved the workforce in the sheet metal workshop. These people were moved to the assembly workshops. 

“The investment also enabled us to manufacture the insulation panels for our fermentation equipment, which represented a big purchase cost. We also brought inhouse all subcontracted sheet metal cutting in higher thicknesses.”

He concludes: “We have a great partnership with the after-sales service, the development team and the sales manager, Mr Gallez. They are always attentive to our needs and can respond very quickly when needed.”

Françoise Soetens – Metallerie

Company profile

Company Eurofours SA

Since: 1980

Industry:
Manufacturer of bakery ovens, fermentation cabinets and chambers, pastry, chocolate and bakery display cases.

Works with :
Stainless steels, aluminum and special alloys

Equipped with :

  • Phoenix FL-3015 6 kW with Compact Tower 
  • ToolCell 135/40
  • Easy-Form-9 80/25

Software:

  • Software : CADMAN-SDI, CADMAN-B, CADMAN-L, CADMAN-JOB et Touch-i4